We Burn Bright
by zeppx
Summary: Well. Let's just say it's an S5 AU. Cas is human, Dean's injured and Sam is secretly awesome.


Okay, well...this is a bday fic for my amaztastic beta **Comedicdrama**. It's also...incredibly late. But that's his own fault since he told me it was his birthday 3 days after the fact. I've also been suffering writer's block like crazy and this story was a pain in my ass and didn't want to be written and it's probably effing horrible. So. Yeah.

Anyway. This has neither of the prompts he asked for, so I won't even go there.

_Anyhow_. Happy birthday! You're awesome.

Now make this suck less.

* * *

><p>Castiel could count the number of times he'd been in a hospital on one hand. He'd never really been in a hospital for something like this though, never for a friend. Castiel tried to control the urge to fidget, but every time he was distracted by something else he found his knee bouncing up and down at a rapid rate. He also caught himself repeatedly chewing on his thumbnail, an annoying human habit he had picked up.<p>

Sam eyed him from the seat next to him and said, "He's gonna be okay Cas, don't worry."

Castiel huffed, crossed his arms and glared at the waiting room door. They had been here for an hour already, and no doctor had yet to come in and tell them how Dean was doing.

"Seriously, Cas. It was nothing serious."

"We don't know that for sure."

"Cas, broken leg at most. I promise." Castiel scoffed, glared at the side of Sam's head and returned his attention to the doorway. Sam was no doctor, he may have been human and a hunter for far longer than Castiel, but he still didn't know the many things that could go wrong. An artery could have been severed, nerves damaged… anything. The longer the doctors took to come tell them what was wrong the more Castiel worried. If they took a long time that meant it was bad, right?

Another fifteen minutes passed before the doctor finally showed up. Sam, thankfully, left Castiel to his worrying and didn't say anything else.

Castiel was too anxious to pay attention to what the doctor was telling Sam, he heard some of what was said but all he wanted to do was see Dean for himself. Make sure everything was okay. The doctor left and Sam grabbed Castiel's arm, steering him down the hallway, "He's okay Cas. Broken leg, some bruises and cuts, but otherwise he's fine. Like I said."

Castiel grunted, glared and broke free of Sam's hold when he spotted Dean. Dean smiled up at them when they entered the room and shifted until he was sitting upright in the hospital bed. Castiel took in the cut above his eyebrow, the bruise blossoming along his cheekbone and the cast that went halfway up his thigh on his left leg.

Dean caught the glare Castiel aimed at the cast and shot him a grin, "Don't worry, Cas. Few weeks and I'll be good as new."

Castiel huffed and crossed his arms. It wasn't that he was worried about Dean's inability to heal, but if this had happened five months ago, Castiel would have been able to heal it himself. Now he was all but useless, unable to help when it was needed.

Dean must have seen something in the way Castiel was looking at him, Dean shrugged and grinned up at him, "Cas, don't worry about it okay? Was my own stupid fault."

Castiel sighed and ran his fingers gently over Dean's cast, "I'm still sorry."

"It's just a broken leg Cas. Could have been worse." Castiel frowned at the thought. Anything worse than this would be unimaginable.

"But, Dean..."

"Cas, seriously, drop it." Castiel sighed and moved to sit in the other empty chair in the room. Sam was in the other chair on the other side of the bed, watching the two of them with a slight smile.

"So when do I get out of here?" Dean asked after a few minutes.

"Few hours, they just want to watch you for a bit. Doctor said there's nothing majorly wrong with you, outside of your personality."

"Har, har, bitch."

"You asked for that one, jerk." Castiel watched the familiar banter between the two brothers. He wished his own brothers could see this and understand what it was to actually love one another. He knew it would be asking for too much though.

Dean tossed an empty plastic cup at Castiel's head, "You're getting that tragic look on your face again man. Snap out of it. Broken legs are nothing." Castiel dodged the cup and didn't bother pointing out the fact that he wasn't thinking about Dean's well-being and more about what his angelic siblings were missing out on.

The three of them passed the time until Dean's release watching TV, playing cards and discussing where they would stay while Dean was healing.

"Bobby wouldn't want us there for the entire time it takes for this to heal, Sammy. A hotel won't cut it and it's not like we can just go and buy a house."

"We'll figure something out, Dean." Castiel put in. He knew Bobby would allow them to stay as long as they needed, he had, after all allowed the three to stay and re-cooperate after the final showdown. Castiel knew it had mostly been for his benefit, he'd needed that month to adjust to being human and to learn a few things about hunting since he refused to be left behind.

Now, four months later, they would be back at Bobby's. Castiel knew they would be accepted, but staying for so long so soon after their last lengthy visit would surely be too much. As much as Bobby loved them and would do anything for them, the older hunter liked to have his space and Castiel knew there was only so much he could handle from the Winchesters.

Sam frowned, shifted forward in his seat, "Why not buy a house? Or at least rent."

"Because we're legally dead and Cas doesn't exist?"

"So we make up some fake names and get Cas some papers. Not like something like that's ever stopped us before. There's nothing really stopping us either, we could do with a break."

"Sam-"

"C'mon, Dean. We've been going nonstop since the end. A break would be good for us. Not saying we should make it permanent, but just a little break." Sam's eyes cut over to Castiel, who frowned in response. Dean glanced over at him as well, causing Castiel's frown to deepen. He knew there was some silent communication going on between the brothers, and he knew it was about him. Without his grace to get a read on their thoughts though, he was unable to know what they were saying the glances and eyebrow twitches. It just served to frustrate Castiel even more.

"Alright. We'll hit up Bobby and find a place in a few weeks. Don't expect me to settle down though. No white picket fences or puppies for me."

Sam smirked at his brother and nodded, "Whatever you say, Dean."

The following two weeks were filled with Sam looking for places to rent, Bobby making up their fake papers and names while Castiel catered to Dean's every need.

Dean complained most of the time, stating that he could get up and get his own food, drinks and medication, but Castiel insisted on getting it for him since there wasn't much else for him to do.

At the beginning of the third week when Bobby was looking close to taking a shotgun to Dean and burying him somewhere in the junkyard, Sam announced that he'd found a place for them to rent in the next town over. It was a small three bedroom house that was fully furnished, all they needed to do was fill out paperwork and bring their things.

Bobby watched as they packed up the Impala, he handed Dean and Sam their new identities, dubbing them the Wesson brothers now. Dean had objected to the name, since it had been the one Sam had had when Zachariah had put them into a world of his making, but it had been the only one available.

Dean wandered off back to the Impala, sorting through the papers Bobby had given him, grumbling the entire time. Castiel turned to Bobby and waited, watching as the elder hunter hesitated. Castiel was almost worried. What if he had been unable to give Castiel a name? His own identity? What if Castiel was forever stuck and wondering the Earth without his own identity for the rest of his human life? What would he do then? What if, one day, Sam and Dean had had enough of him and sent him out on his own. What would he do without an identity? He didn't know how to live without one, or what to do to go about getting one.

Castiel knew his thoughts were irrational and would probably never come to be, but he couldn't control his own human emotions yet. They still overwhelmed him and confused him.

Bobby cleared his throat and thrust the packet of papers at Castiel. Castiel took them gently, gratefully. He slowly opened the envelope and pulled out the first item.

It was a driver's license for South Dakota. Castiel's picture stared back at him and the name _Castiel Singer _had a lump forming in his throat that he found hard to swallow around. He glanced up at Bobby, unable to find the words to thank him, unable to know how to express his gratitude.

Bobby simply smiled, clapped Castiel on the shoulder, "Let's not make this sentimental, kid." Castiel nodded and tucked the license back into the envelope with the other papers, no doubt a social security card and birth certificate.

"C'mon Cas! Let's roll!" Castiel glanced over his shoulder to Dean, nodded then returned his attention to Bobby. Castiel hesitated, ignored the raised eyebrows Bobby was giving him and stepped forward to give him a tentative hug.

It was awkward at best, it being the first hug Castiel had ever given, but Bobby accepted with an awkward pat on the back and a clearing of his throat.

"Thank you, Bobby." Bobby nodded, gave Castiel a brief squeeze before pushing him away and towards the Impala.

Dean raised his eyebrows and tapped his foot on the ground, "Are you two done growing vaginas yet? Can we go?"

Bobby grumbled something under his breath and gave Castiel a slight push, "Well go on then, you bunch of idjits."

Dean gave him a cocky grin while Castiel gave a hesitant smile of his own and headed for the Impala.

The house was a plain beige color, the realtor was a preppy blonde woman dressed in all pink. She was waiting for them on the porch when Dean pulled the Impala into the driveway. She beamed at them, waved and moved to unlock the front door.

Castiel disliked her instantly.

"So, uh. Real quick." Sam muttered, turning and giving Dean a sheepish smile.

Dean turned and glared at Sam, "What did you do?"

"Well, in order to gain her trust and let us rent the place out without her meeting us first, I told her a bit about us?"

"And?"

"Um… well, she knows we're brothers. But… Cas, she thinks…"

"Spit it out Sam!"

Sam took a deep breath and gushed out, "ShethinksyouandCasarepartners."

Castiel frowned while Dean glared.

"Partners?"

"Yeah… y'know. Like… _together_."

"Dammit, Sam!"

"She assumed!"

"And you didn't bother correcting her?"

"She wasn't going to rent the place out to three guys, Dean. When she thought you and Cas were together she opened right up. I figured it was easier that way."

"Easier. Right."

"I don't understand-" Dean held up a hand, silencing Castiel.

"Don't even _speak_, Cas." Castiel scowled at Dean's hand but sat back in the seat, crossing his arms over his chest and waiting for someone to get out of the car. When neither Sam or Dean moved to get out of the car, Castiel sighed and let himself out.

Castiel ignored Dean's protests and marched himself up the driveway and to the front door. The realtor grinned at him and held out a hand to shake, "Hello! I'm Stacy!"

Castiel shook her hand, "Castiel. Sam and Dean are still in the car." He peered over his shoulder to see Sam pulling Dean's crutches out of the trunk while Dean hurriedly pulled himself from the car.

When he was finally joined by the two brothers Dean was scowling at him and Sam was calmly shaking Stacy's hand and introducing her to Dean.

Stacy led them on a tour of the house, it was small but Castiel found he liked it, he especially liked the backyard with its large trees, flowers and hammock. Summer was approaching so he looked forward to being able to read out there.

Five minutes later Castiel found himself alone in the house with Dean. Sam had gone with Stacy to finish up the paperwork and get some extra keys made. Dean looked around the living room, scowling occasionally at the fake plants and the cheesy paintings on the wall.

"Even the walls are beige. This place needs some color."

Castiel sat himself next to Dean, "I like it."

Dean snorted, "You would."

They sat in silence, Dean looking around the house from his position on the couch while Castiel subtly watched Dean. Trying to remind himself that staring too long at someone now was inappropriate.

Finally, Dean turned his attention towards Castiel, cleared his throat and muttered, "You know, what Sam said in the car? We don't really have to go along with that."

"About us being in a relationship?"

Dean coughed and rubbed the back of his neck, a faint blush turning his cheeks pink, "Yeah… that."

Castiel turned his attention to the far wall, "I do not mind."

Dean chuckled from beside him, "Oh you don't huh?"

Castiel shook his head and looked down at his hands, clasped loosely in his lap. He was fighting the urge to fidget under Dean's stare, unsure of what was going through his head now, unsure of what to do or what to say.

Sometimes he really hated being human.

Dean reached over and nudged his arm, "I uh… I don't really mind either, Cas."

Castiel turned and looked up at Dean, "You don't?"

Dean shook his head and moved down the couch, closer to Castiel. "Nope. Tell you what, when my leg is all healed up we'll make it official. I'll show you the fun thing us humans call dating."

Castiel couldn't help but smile. Dean returned the smile, pushed himself up from the couch and grabbed one of Castiel's hands, pulling him up as well, "In the meantime… I say we go break in one of those beds."

Castiel grinned and followed Dean down the short hallway towards the master bedroom. Perhaps being human wasn't too bad.


End file.
